Movember - Please Sponsor Me

Slightly off the topic of fishing, well completely off.

Did you know?

- Tragically, one man dies every hour from prostate cancer in the UK.


I and a few guys from work are taking part in Movember. This is an event to collect money for Prostate cancer. I would love it if you would sponsor me on the following link:

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/769060/

This is an official site and the main pages can be found at: http://uk.movember.com/

Please stop by and donate even a few pounds to myself or my team as I think this is a cracking cause

I will post my Moustache images during the month so you can see the progress

Thanks in advance

Chris Ainger

Day 1:

Session #28 Owls Castle Farm

I headed to the lakes and arrived at about 5PM, so only had just over an hour of good light to fish with. The leaves were starting to cover the surface of the lake but the carp were still around the top and loved the biscuits that got thrown in.

I managed to bag a whopping 1 fish. It weighed under a pound :(, but at least I didn't blank, so there is always a positive about these things.

Until next time...

Session #27 Chalk Springs - New PB

I treated myself to a session of 4 fish at Chalk Springs in Arundel. I have been here before and love the very clear waters and also the fact its only 10 miles from home.

I turned up at about 9am. The fish weren't the easiest to catch but that all adds to the fun. I hooked into a feisty brown trout first up which weighed 2lb 10oz:

Then my first Blue Trout ever. I have tried many time at this place but never even a close nibble until today... This one weighed 2lb 4oz:

In the afternoon I hooked into a very large fish but the line snapped as I was readying for netting. I was most annoyed, or words to that effect...

I decided to try a hand tied small dog biscuit look a like. I moved to a new spot and saw a large brown trout swimming around. After about 10 minutes I put the fly just in front of it and saw the mouth open and close around the fly. Before it could be spat out I pulled hard and hooked in. It was a great fight and proved even more so when I found that the fly was barbless!! This one weighed in at 8lb 2oz!!!

After that one I needed just one more and caught a 2lb 2oz Rainbow before 3PM.

This was my shortest but most successful day here ever. I was on a high. 

Session #26 Owls Farm Castle

I headed to Owls Farm Castle CADAC lake the other week for a quick afternoon session. I arrived at about 4 and left by 6:30.

I wasn't able to get to my normal spot so I tried a different lake there. I threw out a few dog biscuits and within about a minute the carp were there feeding away.

With in the session I caught 11 fish weighing a total of 38.5lbs. The biggest was a 10lb common and a 8 3/4lb mirror. All in all I caught 7 mirrors and 4 common.

It was a quick but satisfying session.

Pictures to come...

Session #25 Pattenden Session

I headed to the lake on a fairly warm afternoon. The carp weren't showing very much but I managed to get my corner and started baiting with dog biscuits. Nothing much showed but eventually carp moved in.

I cast at them but nothing took the fly or got near it. Then the ducks moved in and scared the carp away and ate everything. This was the way if the evening and I withdrew at 8 with no fish to show for it.

Until the next time...

Session #24 Owls Castle Farm

I headed out to Lamberhurst to have another crack at the surface feeding carp in the bottom lake. I arrived and the space I wanted was free. I started to fish at 10AM on the dot and didn't have to wait long for the first fish. I hooked into a slightly sluggish 3lb Mirror at 10:10 which was returned to the water with picture due to it going metal too much on the unhooking mat.

With the encouragement of dog biscuits I hooked into a bigger fish at 10:33, which when landed was a burly 6lb mirror.

Another 23 minutes later I was into my 3rd of the day, a very pretty 1.5lb mirror.

21 minutes later I was into another bigger fish, which when landed was a 6lb Mirror

Another 21 minutes later at 11:29 I was into another biggish fish which weighed in at 5 3/4lb

Things then quietened down during the midday sun. They were still cruising but not interested in very much. Then at 12:34 the next one hopped onto my hook. This was a 2lb Mirror.

Then another 50 minutes later another one hooked up and was a small but sturdy 1.5lb Mirror.

12 minutes later the best fight of the day hooked up. This one was literally stripping line from the reel in great quantities and I couldn't see how big it was. After about 5 minutes of it running left and right I got it to the net only to find that it literally weighed 1lb!!! Awesome fight, and definitely fought harder than all the rest that day.

The little Champ...

Another twenty minutes passed to see another 1lb carp come in, but this was the first Common of the day, just when I was wondering if there were any playing ball today...

Common Acrobatics...

I only had to weight 8 more minutes for the biggest of the day. It was a lovely conditioned 8lb Common. Not a bad scrap but was put back into the water after being very lively on the mat. This was only to save distress, but meant no pics was happening here.

This was a 3lb common.

Then a last mirror which was returned quickly so as not to get my gear wet again.

This one weighed in at 3lb.

I then headed home to repair the sunburn I had got from wearing no protection all day - How Stupid was that???!

All in all thought a good day, 12 fish caught in lovely surroundings and weighing in just under 40lb, I think that's a pretty good haul for a day.

Session #23 Pattenden, First Double Figure Fish

I headed to Pattenden even though there was pretty high winds. I thought there should be enough cover to fish and I was right. The only thing was there was nit much action on the surface. I tried to get the fish to an area but only one turned up just after I arrived. I managed to cast near the carp but it didn't properly take the fly and then swam away again.

After a while I left the carp for some Perch. I put on a tinselled gold headed nymph. I started casting. I sat on the bank and carried on casting out. I then cast along the margins and first cast there I hit into something big. It surfaced and was a big common carp appeared. It took about 8 minutes to land, which was fun. I had to unzipped my unhooking mat, get my sling ready and land the fish all at the same time. I managed the land the carp and the hook came out in the net shush was great. I got a few pictures and then weighed it. It was definitely the biggest I had caught. It weighed in at 13lb with the sling which is 1/2lb, so it was 12lb 8oz!!! So this was my first double figure fish ever, how cool was I feeling ;).

After weighing it was returned very quickly and carefully.

Common Carp with a slight gammy fin

The rest of the evening was spent trying to catch Perch, but I didn't get another nick all night.

I headed off head held high.

Session #22 Owls Castle Farm

I headed to Owls Castle Farm on Wednesday 7th July for a spot of Carping on the fly with dog biscuits.

I arrived and parked up and chatted to the grounds man and a couple fishing in the bottom lake. They said there were plenty offish moving so i headed back quickly to set up my rod. I picked my spot on the bank and set out my net and unhooking mat. I threw in the biscuits and the carp came straight for them. I put in a fly and they would quite take it far enough down to hook them. So in goes a few more biscuits and at 16:20, BANG, into my first carp on the fly!!!

It took about 5-6 minutes to get it to calm down and get it into my net. It was a beautiful Mirror Carp of 6lb 8oz.

Mirror Carp

Five minutes later, into my next, a lovely 4lb 8oz Common Carp

Common Carp

Then 5 minutes again, a smaller 1lb 9oz Common Carp. This was return quickly as it fought very hard and looked very tired at the end of the fight. So no picture here of that one.

Although the water was very busy the cap didn't bite so readily for a while. At about 18:20 I was into my next fish, another lovely Common Carp of 3lb 8oz.

Common Carp

After this I lost several flies due to either very large fish running too quickly or fish running behind a large obstacle in the lake and the line fraying and snapping.

I left at about 20:00 so as not to ruin a great day there. The couple drew 19 fish all at about the same time.

What a lovely venue...

Session #20 Zander at Grafham Resevoir

Myself and Tony headed to Grafham Resevoir at about 05:30 and arrived at about 7:30-8 and met up with Guy Eldridge and Son. We had a quick breakfast and then set about getting boat tickets and getting out on the water.

We paired up, me with Tony and, Guy and son. We headed out to the old fountain to see if we could start well there.

The Good Ship Eldridge

Once we arrived we anchored up. Not loang after we got there Guy hooked into number one and pulled up a great start at about 8lb. Soon followed by another of about the same size.

We then headed overto a shallow corner to see if we could tempt a few there. I had a follow from a good sized fish there but I ran out of line and room to moved and it disappeared into the murkyness again.

In the afternoon we headed to the other end of the resevoir.

The other end of the resevoir

We ended up moving a few more times, but only Guy and son managed to bag a few more Zander, the biggest 11lb when weighed.

At the end of the day we headed home knackered and both still wanting to catch a Zander.

Tony navigating the resevoir

Session #21 - Pattenden Lane CADAC Lake

I headed over to Pattenden Lake with Tony with the aim to use dog biscuits to catch top feeding carp. The method being to get them in a competitive state and then chuck in the fly and then BAM, one on the line.

Well we started well, but then started to individually target the fish. We found a spot on the lake to where the carp and tench were sunning themselves and threw in a few biscuits.

Tony then disappeared around to another edge of the lake and with in 5 minutes was into a decent fish. Once landed he had a lovely looking Tench of about 1.75-2lbs in weight (not weighed so we are guessing here).

Tony with Tench

This was promptly put back after a few snaps and we moved around the lake pursuing the Carp. Tony moved around the next corner and with in about 10 minutes had a rod bender on. It was heading to the bottom of the lake with a lot of effort. After about 3-4 minutes of holding his ground he turned the Common Carp to the surface and we landed the carp that just fitted into the trout net.

Tony with Carp

We will have to take the proper size net next time as anything bigger... This one was weighed and came in just shy of 9lb and was in lovely condition. Tony looked like the Cheshire cat with the grin he had and well deserved.

Things calmed down and the fish started to move out to the middle of the lake and so I headed to the starting position with a bit more casting room. Tony headed off around the lake chatting to the other fisher folk. After a while he changed flies to a tiny size 18 hook and caught the smallest roach in the world me thinks. There is no picture, it was just too small.

I threw a few biscuits and the carp started feeding and they got startled every time they touch my best dog biscuit fly I had tied. There was some very big carp having a test on the fly including what must have been an easy double mirror carp.

After a while I changed to a red and green berry imitation I had tied and started to get some interest on that too.

I cast about 12ft from the bank and a tench came round and manoeuvre directly under the fly. It nudged it and jumped away. And just as I thought that was it, it came back and gave it a few more taps. Then on the fourth investigation, it took the fly and, after about 2 seconds, I struck and he was on! With the help of Tony I landed it and it another Tench of about 1.75-2lb, although it was definitely bigger than Tony's... This was new species #1 of the night.

Tench

Tony's skills with the camera and my handling made a poor picture, but I have proof, WHOOP

The light dimmed down and after no action or interest for a while I switched to a green damsel fly with a tinsel top and had a crack at Perch. On my third cast I hit in to the whopper you see below. This was new species #2 of the night.

Perch

Not long after we packed up and headed home feeling quite happy with ourselves. Not bad for a first day out at new water, and a club one at that.

Session #19 - Unknown Location

Can't honestly remember where I went but didn't catch anything top report anyway

Session #17 Beltinge Beach

I headed out on a slightly windy day. Turned out the wind was an Easterly which meant it would be hitting me from the left.

I headed to the cliffs at high tide and found casting quite hard due to the cross wind and wasn't sure of the underwater terrain. I worked along the waters edge but didn't see anything. None of the other fisherman were catching either so I felt a bit better

Session #18 Beltinge Beach - Spinning Sucess

I headed down to Beltinge Beach again in front of the cliffs. This time I headed with Tony to give him his first fly session for bass. We arrived at the car park in a 25+ degree day before 12. We set up spinning and fly rods and headed along the beach. We got to the spot I had previously tried in another session. Having not seen the location at low tide it was great too see.

The cliffs go down to the normal pebbles on the beach. That then covers a rocky area with a sandy base. This is then split by a sandy open area. Then another row of rocks and so on. This means when the tide comes in the fish can work from row of rocks to rocks. Also at the base of the cliff there is a huge area of rocks and this, I am told, is great at high tide for mullet and bass.

We ended up wading in and the water was beautifully warm. I was was casting out about 80-100 meters with a Dexter's wedge (silver) and hit into a fish. Pulling it in it was about 8 inches long and tugged in a crazy manner when it was coming in.

About 10-15 minutes later another hit my lure. This one was a bit bigger and went crazy when it was pulled to the surface.

Tony didn't get anything this day, and said it was my fault... I explained I had taken him to a place with fish, what else could I do =P...

Better luck next time

No pictures this time

Beach recon from Minnis Bay to Reculver Castle

Having been out on a wlk from Minnis Bay to Reculver allowed me to have a low tide recky of the shore. The whole beach is sandy and flat from teh botton of the sones at the foot of the sea wall. The groins at the Minnis end are, all bar one, wooden or concrete. The areas between the groins have stony weeded sections that would be good for fish to search out snacks when high tide comes in.

Sanded area with rocky weeded area

This is the rocky/weeded areas up close

This shows the beach from a higher view. Flat sand with some rocky groins.

This shows one of the lower rocky groins which are many towards the Reculver area.

Bass were seen caught along this beach at a certain location that will not be revealed.

Tide Times Website

Click on the Title to go to the site...

Session #15 Pike Fly Fishing on the RMC

I finally managed to meet Tony, another PFFA member, after ages of schedules not working out. I met up with him at about 6:30 on Saturday 15th May. We then drove to a section of the RMC he had tried previously and caught 2 pike of 12lbs and 14lbs. After parking up and setting up we hopped over the gate and started working our way along the bank. after about 30 minutes I had three follows of the fly in the same spot. I decided after about 15 minutes to move on and come back later.

We headed even further along the bank until the point that it would be impossible to land a fish let-a-lone return it. We headed back to one of the bends in the canal and Tony started casting whilst I headed back to the area I had seen my pike. I was trying to remember exactly where it was as it looked pretty much the same everywhere. 

Some minutes later I heard  Tony shout and he had one on. I pegged it up the bank to help out, not that it was needed. He had landed a 3.5lb jack.

Tony's Jack

Releasing the prize

Not long after I located my spot and tried my original fly and saw no movement. I poped on a PikeTrek second and with in 5 casts the pike appeared again and took the fly down. I shout for tony who had the net and he pegged it across the field to me to help me land it.

I started to try and unhook it, but wasn't confident enough so Tony was kind enough to do it for me.

Tony unhooking my Pike

This Pike was 3.5lbs also, but Tony insists his was bigger, not too sure about that though...

We headed back to the bridge and over the road to the other side of the bridge. We fished for a bit over here but saw no movement, but did  find catapillars on the nettles in the hundreds:

Hungry little fellas's

We headed back to the car at about 11:30 and chatted to a couple of fishermen by the bridge about the area which was useful.

All in all a very very good mornign for me as I broke my bad run of blanks and also broke the no Pike run too. Cheers again Tony,

Here are the flies I used:

The mornings flies I used

Top Fly is a PikeTrek 2nd which I caught the pike on

Bottom fly is a self tied pattern which got the initial attention

Session #14 Hayling Island

I headed back to Hayling Island Langstone car park for about 08:30. I fished all along the channel and back around the beach towards the golf club. The tide was going out so I tried a few areas where I though the fish my hold up. It was very cold so I figured the fish may have been out a way any way, but it was worth a go.

All in all I fished till 10:30 and headed home

Session #13 Hayling Island

Having headed home for Dad's birthday I headed to Hayling Island and parked up next to the golf course and headed down to the beach. We wandered along for a while and cast out 5-6 times in each breakwater. We chatted to another spinner and he hadn't had anything in 2 hours. So we packed up and headed to the langstone car park and cast out from the shell bank near the pub.

I got have a go with some of my deeper plugs and they seemed to work well. We headed home shortly after when my spool hit a massive tangle.

Session #12 Spinning near Chatham

I headed out to catch what I thought was a 5PM high ide. Turns out it wasa 7PM high. This gave me some time to have a recky around the area to let the water in. I headed around the bay at Motney hill towards the sewerage works. The water didn't look too deep and it was very murky. There was another guy fishing who I caught up with later.

I headed around to near the sewerage point but decided to go check out another area also whilst I still had time. The point may be good with a weighted line and bait but possibly not for spinning and definately not for fly.

This shows the muddy channels that are around this area. You need to be careful as some of the paths are very thin. Do not slip in!!

This is the outlook to the bay with Motney hill over to the left.

This shows the point to fish from. You can cast into the deeper channel from there.

I headed to the other side of the outward lying area and the sewerage works. This had a sea wall which slopped down to the rocky/weedy ground before disappearing under the very murky waves. It was a very windy day which made casting tricky.

This is the sea wall

This shows the rocky/weedy areas at the base of the sea walls.

I had a few casts here and christened the area with a lost lure. I then headed to the area by the car park to go out on the arm again. I chatted to the fisherman who explained about getting peeler crabs if you get the tides right. I had a spin for a while and headed home expectedly with empty hands.

There are another few areas to try around here and they will be gotten to shortly.

Session #11 Motney Hill

After heading out over the bank holiday weekend to a place called Motney Hill, near Chatham, and being blown all over the place, and not in a good way, I didn’t manage to do any fishing. This was mostly due to 20+ mph head winds.
I did mange to scout 2 areas pointed out to me by Tony from the Pike fraternity. I headed over to Motney Hill car park and literally 10 meters from the parking is the water. There is a man made arm of earth covered rock that stretched out into the sea and this creates a bay. This mostly made of mud and small areas of weed.

The other being a massive concreted area that looks like an old jetty for unloading ships no in disuse. Having been battered by the elements for long enough I headed home.

I headed back out today for another look with winds of up to 10mph which was a lot nicer. I only fished on the arm today to give that a decent crack. I was fishing about 1 hour after high tide until about 2 ½ hours after. I started with a popper, which I lost on my 2nd cast due to it snagging some rope in a clump of weed. I could not get it back for love nor money. And after 3-4 minutes the metal click gave way as the line still had the look intact.

Move onto my next lure, the SwinShad, I was casting about 50-60 meters across the bay in a fanned approch and getting to know the lures, as many were from first use. They all acted very well in the water. At about 2 ½ hours after high tide the plugs were running along the bottom. So I gave up and headed home.

Whilst this was not a proper session, being more of a recky, it was good to start trying some new areas out, ready for the better months of the year. I hope to line a few areas up and get out after work even if it is only for an hour, tides permitting.

Here are the lures that I used:

Here are a few photo's of the area:

This is the main stone arm

 This is the area to the east of the arm

This is the area to the west of the arm

This is the small beach to the east of the arm and in front of the other eastern area 

This is the bay from the public path

This shows the weedy margins at the edge of the bay

This shows the view straight out north from the small beach and also the weedy margin

I will get to trying the concrete area sometime soon as the water could be quite deep and worth a go.